Baseggio's Around The World

The intent of this page is to provide information about the Baseggio family (also known as "de Baseggio", "Basegio", and probably others.) I have information on my ancestry going back several generations and am trying to get more and also to link up with other long lost relatives.

Venice was ruled by the noble families. There were four types of noble families - "case vecchie" (old houses), "case nuove" (new houses), "case nuovissime" (very new houses), and "case fatte per soldi" (houses made because of money). The "case vecchie" were the families that were considered noble families before the 9th century, and were probably descended from maritime tribes. There were 27 of these "case vecchie" and one of them was the Baseggio family. SOURCE: "Venetian Palaces", by Alvise Zorzi and Paolo Marton, published by Rizzoli in 1990.

If you have info you'd like to share, or if I have some you'd like to get - write to me! Send e-mail to franco@baseggio.net

This is a loose translation of an extract from historical documents, prepared in approximately 1970, by a Venetian monk.

It appears that the Basegio family is among one of the oldest of Venice, and its origins are so old that they go hand in hand with the foundation of the City. According to Father Ireneo-of-the-Cross, a Barefoot Carmelite (1), in his history of Trieste, this family has a very clear origin, from the famous Basilia people of Rome, . . . . , from which derived the Basilidi, Basilici, Bacilissi, Basilli, and Basiliani, with other names derived from the Basilio root, that flourished in Rome, in Constantinople, and in other places. From Rome, with other illustrious families, the Basilis (2) transferred to the colony of Trieste, as this same author affirms, and from there they diffused into Capo d'Istria (3) with the name of Basegi, and into Gradisca (4) with that of Basello. That the venetian Basilis recognize their beginning from Roman nobility, and that from that great metropolis they came to Venice, is also mentioned by Lorenzo Longo, monk, in his history with these verses:

Huc cottae a Rheno Constantinique Nigrique, Venere, et Metii Basiliique simul.
[The Gens Aurelia ("Cottae") did come here (Venice) from the Rhine (river) and
from Cirta (A city, afterwards named "Constantina", in today's Tunesia, N.
Africa.) and from Nigria, and so did the Gens Metia and the Gens Basilia.]

and Ingone Torelli in the notations to the aforementioned history showing that those patrician Venetian families, which originated in Rome, kept their old name, writes as follows:

There survived however in Trieste, some Basilis, from whom derived Baseio and Basei, and they always maintained their first responsibilities , but they became extinct in 1625 in the person of Giovanni Baseio (5): but Andrea Rapiccio, Bishop of Trieste, in his manuscripts, claims that from Capo d'Istria they passed into Trieste in 1295 and these are his words:

Anno 1295 familia de Baulo seu Baxeo ex iustinopoli in urbe migrasse constat.
[It is sure, that in the year 1295 the family de Baulo or Baxeo moved from
Iustinopolis to the city (of Trieste).]

the aforementioned Father Ireneo feels that they went to Venice. Whatever it is, this doesn't imply that from the ancient Basilis of Rome, these of Venice can not recognize their descendance, and the possession, never ended, of Patrician Nobility, which they enjoyed from those primitive times, justifies the clarity of their blood. Malfatti (6), and other Venetian Chronicles, say that from Torcello and from Old Malamocco they came to Rialto (7), in which places they had first settled, and Frescot, annotating Malfatti, writes that this house was named among the Tribunes (8) of Torcello, and gives it a common beginning from that of Venice; where with reason it is numbered in the first twelve (houses), which cooperated in the edification of this Dominant (9), and in which was originally established the corps of Patrician Nobility, and was also one of the twelve deputized in 697 to create the first doge (10), in fact, some writings affirm that (he) was from this family. In those remote times also called by the name of Mastalitia, as agree all the authors but from the Mastalitia for the reasons here mentioned, we have made this particular summary. Therefore, the Basilis, corruptly called later Basegis, exercised the Courts of Malamocco, of Torcello, and of still other islands; they caused to be constructed the church of St. Mary of the Virgins, and that of St. Basilio, commonly called St. Baseio, namesake of the house, they extended themselves also in the building of the Parish of St. Maurizio, and with large sums of money, cooperated in the building of the bell tower of St. Mark (11), with the gift also of some of their own homes, where it (the tower) is based. The ancient personalities, to use the phrase of the old manuscripts, were wise men, of few words but of great deeds.

An ancient and original coat of arms of this house was a circle of silver in a field of gold; but in the conquest of Constantinople, Giovanni, others say Giacomo Basegio, was honored by the Marquis of Montferrat with three gold bones on a field of blue, put in a row one above the other, to which Baldovino of Fiandra, elected emperor of Constantinople, added the crown of gold above these.

Sergio Baseggio adds the following information to clarify the above:
At the time of the foundation of Venice the family's name was Mastalitia ("mastelo" in Venetian means "bucket" and they were builders of barrels, casks and other wooden vessels used on merchant ships). At the end of the 10th century they had a church built in honor of Saint Basilio, after which they were allowed to use the name BASEGIO, later to become BASEGGIO. In 1571 a Galera (man of war) was built at their expense. It fought in the battle of Lepanto.

480 Teodosio Basilio. Tribune of Malamocco, of whom there is memory in the year 480, as referred to by Father Ireneo in his history of Trieste, pg. 678.

828 Basilio. Tribune in 828, signed as a witness the will of Doge Giustinian Participatio.

836 Trasimondo Basilio, according to Zabarella in the Galla, was one of the Nobles, who not being able to tolerate the violent operations of Doge Carosio, in 836 plotted against him, resulting in his being deposed, blinded, and banished.

860 The Basegio family, united with the Giustiniani and the Polani, had very grave disagreements with the Barbolani, Selii, and Scevoli, families which in those times were very powerful, which (the disagreements) lasted a long time, with mutual killings, under guise of civil war, with many battles in many parts of the city, until the Barbolanis forcibly thrown out of Venice, and then allowed back thru the intercession of Emperor Ludwig.

905 The Basegio family, in 905, built the church of St. Basilio, namesake of the house.

1090 Giovanni Basegio lived in these years and had as wife Paola, daughter of Giovanni Sabatino, a noble Venetian, who bore Basilio.

1122 Basilio Basegio, son of Giovanni, in 1122 witnessed the Privilege of exemption granted by Doge Domenico Micheli and his council to the City and "contrada" of Bari and then on the 13th of July 1134 was made a Procurator of St. Mark.

1122 Bonfigliuolo, Domenico Giudice, Giovanni and Orio Basegio in 1122 are all four found among the Nobles of the Council, who witnessed the aforementioned Privilege.

1153 Giovanni Baseggio, of the confines of St. Giovanni Grisostomo (12), son of the Procurator Basilio, to whom, and to whose brother Pietro, in 1153 Doge Domenico Moresini and the Nobles of the Council made "quietanza" as a result of a certain "stabile", as appears in the instrument (13) by Bernardin of Pozzo Nodaro. Later in 1177 he was Captain of a galley in the armada sent by the Republic (14) in favor of Pope Alexander III against Emperor Frederic Redbeard; in 1192 he was admiral of 10 galleys and 6 ships , with other boats, against the Pisans occupiers of Pola in Istria, which he recovered by fighting the enemy, with much glory to his name; in 1202 he went with Doge Dandolo to recover Zara and to the conquest of Constantinople, where from the Marquis of Montferrat, and from Emperor Baldwin, he was awarded the coat of arms mentioned above, in fact, Rannusio (6) affirms that he was one of the electors of that same Emperor, by whom he was knighted. In 1205 he was one of the electors of Doge Pietro Zani, and on April 9 of the same year was elected Procurator of St. Mark. He begat Andrea (15) and Basilia, wife of Leone Quirini.

1153 Pietro Basegio, brother of Giovanni, with whom in 1153 he intervened in the aforementioned Act, then became Procurator of St. Mark, as writes Zabarella (6) in the work titled the Magnificent, and was father of Maria, wife of Doge Pietro Zani.

1153 Domenico, Giovanni, Marco, Ottone, and Vitale Basegio, are all five found among the Nobles of the Council who in 1153 witnessed the aforementioned Act.

1178 Marco Basegio, in 1178 was one of the electors of Doge Orio Malipiero.

1200 Marino Basegio, according to Father Ireneo of the Cross, had as wife a daughter of Tancredi, King of Sicily,

with which marriage he passed Royal blood on to his posterity.

1205 Maria Basegio, daughter of the Procurator Pietro, was Princess of Venice, through her husband Pietro Zani, crowned Doge in 1205.

1205 Giacomo Basegio, in 1205 was one of the electors of Doge Pietro Zani, then in 1206 was made Admiral of the sea, liberated from the Genoese the Port of Famagosta and led to the homeland as victory trophies, 12 enemy ships with a quantity of prisoners; then chased from the Island of Candia Arrigo, with whom he concluded the peace, making him also a relative by marrying one of his daughters to Almiano Bendino, his nephew (16).

1210 Giovanni Basegio, Podesta (17) of Chioggia, went in 1210 to the rescue of the homeland, against Paduans, and he comported himself so bravely that the Chioggians were liberated from the Angarie.

1213 The Basegio family, in 1213 restored the ancient Church of St. Basilio, namesake of the house, which had been founded by their ancestors.

1222 Basilio Basegio, of St. Giovanni Gristolamo, was one of the Nobles who in 1222 passed to Candia with the second Venetian colony.

1229 Giacomo Basegio, in 1229 was one of the electors of Doge Giacomo Tiepolo, and in 1249 he was (an elector) of Doge Marin Moresini.

1258 Rafaelle Basegio, in 1259 transferred from Constantinople to Venice the body of Saint Barbara, which was deposited in the Church of the Crociferi, Lora of the Jesuits.

1268 Giacomo Basegio, in 1268 was one of the electors of Doge Lorenzo Tiepolo.

1275 Nicolo Basegio, in 1275 was one of the electors of Doge Giacomo Contarini.

1276 Andrea Basegio, Capo d'Istria having rebelled, went in 1276 with a large armada sent as captain for the recovery (of the territory), which he did with distinction, which merited that Antonio Stella, in his elegy, made illustrious mention of him.

1278 Giovanni Basegio, captain of armada, tamed the rebellious Capo d'Istria in 1278, as writes Giovanni Battista Contarini in the first part of his Venetian history.

1290 Pietro Basegio, in 1290 was ambassador to Friuli, to the Patriarch of Aquileia, for the peace of that Province, and in 1291 was one of the commissioners deputized to deal with the gentlemen of Camino, who had put themselves under the protection of the Republic; then as captain of six galleys against the Genoese, resolved also the differences with the Paduans.

with all posterity, included among the Patricians.

1298 Marco Basegio, Captain of 25 galleys against the Genoese, in 1290 was, by the enemy in the straights of Gallipoli around Hellespont, broken and shamefully made to flee and returning to Venice, was blamed for cowardice and inexperience, and confined to prison where he died, as referred to by Contarini (6) in his Giardino.

1310 Francesco Basegio, in 1310 was one of the conspirators, with the Tiepolis and the Quirinis against the liberty of the homeland but, the conspiracy being dissipated, he avoided the punishment he merited and was confined to Cremona.

1312 Giovanni Basegio, in 1312 was one of the electors of Doge Giovanni Loranzo, and then was the first Ambassador to Pope Giovanni XXI.

1333 Andrea Basegio, finding himself in Trau in Dalmatia as writes Giovanni Lucio in 1333, was a witness present at the stipulation of peace between Mudino of Clissa and the Traurinis, then was ambassador to the court of France, where he died.

1342 The Basegio family, in 1342 rebuilt the Church of St. Basilio, which had been ruined by a terrible earthquake.

1355 Marco Basegio, son of Homobon, in 1355 was one of the electors of Doge Giovanni Gradenigo.

1367 Andrea Basegio, brother of Marco, in 1367 was one of the 12 Ambassadors sent to accompany to Venice Andrea Contarini who was elected Doge.

1370 Giacomo Basegio, son of Marco, lived in these years, and was father to Roberto and to Maddalena, wife of Pietro Zabarella the great Paduan gentleman.

1379 Nobles of this house, that in the year of 1379 contributed to the "Estimo" of the community, in the amounts as shown:

Andrea Basegio from St. Mark 1000

Andrea Basegio from St. Sofia 500

Daniel Basegio from St. Giustina 5000

Elena Basegio from St. Sofia 800

Foscarina Basegio from St. Salvator 2500

Marco Basegio from St. Giovanni Grisostamo 1000

Nicolo Basegio from St. Antonin 6000

Nicolo Basegio from St. Salvator 4000

1422 Nicolo Basegio, son of Pietro, in 1422 was Podesta (17) and Captain in Napoli of Romania, in 1423 elector of the Ducal Electors, and in 1427 Podesta and Captain of Trevigi.

1481 Marco Basegio, in his role as Notary, on April 12, 1481 stipulated the will of Franceschina Sanuto, wife of Andrea Dandolo.

1509 Andrea Basegio, son of Nicolo, in the time of the League of Cambrai (in 1509), being Governor of Brisigherra, fought with the people of the Church, from whom, broken and beaten, he withdrew into the Rocca, but fell with the same under the power of enemies.

1510 Paolo Basegio, in the wars of Friuli, gave illustrious evidence of his valor, when in 1510, finding himself guarding Cividale d'Austria on the Natisone River, courageously defended it from the efforts of the Duke of Brunswick, Cesarian General, who had invaded it. He showed himself to be "poscia" in other occasions; then in 1519, while guarding the important Fort of the Church, he was called into service by the city of Lucca, having gotten from his Republic permission to go. Some call him Paolo Basilio from Ferrara but Palladio (6) in the second part of the History of Friuli page 14 calls him Paolo Basegio, Venetian Noble.

1550 Giovanni Battista Basegio, son of Giovanni Francesco, had two wives who were, the first, daughter of Nicolo Postoli, who bore him a daughter, wife of Constantin Micheli; the second, daughter of Giovanni Bembo, who bore him Giovanni Pietro, Giovanni Domenico, Giovanni Battista, and a daughter who married Domenico Zane.

1594 Giovanni Battista Basegio, son of Giovanni Battista, in 1594 was Podesta and Captain of Belluno.

1620 Giovanni Battista Basegio, son of Giovanni Pietro, married in 1607 Marieta, daughter of Giovanni Moro, who bore him Pietro, Giovanni, Francesco, Pellegrin, and a daughter who was wife in 1620 to Carlo Contarini; in 1652 he was chief of the Criminal Quarantia, and Vice-Counselor.

1645 Giovanni Basegio, son of Giovanni Battista, in the war of Candia, being Governor of Ship, was in 1645 sent to the aid of Canea, but having protracted the execution of the mission, was called back to Venice and condemned. Then in 1651 he was New Auditor.

1648 Pietro Basegio, brother of Giovanni, in 1648 was Podesta of Cittadella, where he was honored by the following elegy.

Pietro Basilio Praetori, viro cum animi praestantia tam aeteris corporis dotibus
undequaque conspicuo, ac in primis iustitiae cultori. Annoneque vigilantiss.; ab eius in
se praecipua liberalitatem expertam, Rectori optimo merito Notariorum caetus alacriter
cunctis sufragiis, ponendum curare nil laesitavit. M.DC.XLVIII. [Mayor Pietro Basilio, a man with an eccellent intellect and being given a heavenly
body and formidable in every sense, (was) a premier guardian of justice. And very, very
solicitous as well; He, being of a unique sense of generosity, as a Rector with grand
merits and Notario elected in an excited manner by all voters, never offended in
taking care. 1648.]

1669 Pellegrin Basegio, brother of Pietro, exercised in the homeland various Magisteries, because in the years 1669 and 1681 was New Auditor, in 1685 and 1690 Very New Auditor. He died in 1696 at the age of 73.

1702 Iseppo Basegio, son of Pellegrin, in 1702 was New Auditor, in was elected 40 New Civil, in 1709 Podesta and Captain at Coneglian, in 1711 made to the Old Justice, and in 1713 Consul; then in 1716 he was Podesta and Captain to Cividal of Friuli.

1706 Giovanni Battista Basegio, brother of Iseppo, in 1706 was the head of the Formento a Rialto; in 1708 was elected to the Piovege, in 1709 to the Old Justice, in 1711 Consul, in 1712 Forestier, and in 1714 to the Old Justice, in 1716 was elected 40 C.N. (New Civil).

1706 Giovanni Basegio, brother of Giovanni Battista, in 1706 was Massaro to the Zecca dall'Oro, in 1711 elected 40 Old Civil, then in 1712 and 1715 40 New Civil.

1706 Giovanni Battista Basegio, son of Giovanni, in the years 1706 and 1707 was Counselor in Capo d'Istria.

1707 Giovanni Battista Basegio, son of Francesco, in 1707 was elected Visdominio to the Fontica de' Tedeschi, in 1709 to the Peace, in 1710 Gentleman of Civil Night, in 1711 to the Intrado, in 1712 to the Doana, in 1714 again Gentleman of the Civil Night, and in 1715 another time to the Peace, in 1716 Gentleman of the Civil Night.

1707 Antonio Basegio, son of Pellegrin, in 1707 was Camerlengo to Verona, then in 1709 was elected to the New Justice, in 1714 Proveditore to Chissa.

1709 Andrea Basegio, brother of Antonio, was in the corps of the Quarantie, from which, also in 1709, he was elected 40 Ordinary, in 1710 40 New Civil, in 1712 X Wisemen, in 1713 40 New Civil, as also in 1715.

Footnotes:

1. Barefoot Carmelite appears to be an order of monks.

2. All last names ending in "s" are plurals, hence "Basilis" means the "Basili" family.

3. Capo d'Istria, the capital of Istria which was a part of Venice (and later Italy) from the 13th century (some say 1420) to 1797. Capo d'Istria is now a part of Slovenia and is called Koper. According to Mario de Baseggio, some of his (and our?) ancestors were sent there by a duke to be overseers. That is how the "de" got added to his name.

Loose translation of a document written by Nicolo Baseggio (1805-1892?).

List of the nine lawyers of the Baseggio family.

In ancient centuries emigrated from Rome to Trieste, and then branched to Venice - to Capodistria - to Pinguente - to Gradisca; during the century and a half - from the year 1750 - to the year 1900 -

Capodistria Branch

I. Nicolo Baseggio - born in Capodistria 1744, died there 1831. Vice-mayor, notary, lawyer, president of the Austrian Appeals and the French Court of Civil and Criminal Justice in Capodistria.

his son

II. Giorgio - born in Capodistria 1772, died there 1850. Justice of the Austrian Tribunal, lawyer of the French Appeals Court.

his son

III. Nicolo - born in Capodistria 1805, studied at the University of Vienna, lawyer, Austrian Provincial Counselor in Lombardo-Veneto. Died in 1892?

his sons

IVa. Giorgio I - born in Pinguente 1838. Lawyer of the Royal family of Italy in Milan. Died 1907.
IVb. Giulio - born in Rovigno, 1853. Lawyer in Pola.
IVc. Giorgio II - born in Padova, 1860. Lawyer in Parenzo.

Loose translation of a document of unknown origin, updated by me to reflect 1996.
(Appears to be as of about 1968? The handwriting is terrible; I made many guesses.)

Baseggio among the 13 ancient houses of Trieste in the Council of Nobles. A Lorenzo was Patriarch of Grado*, a Basilio Procurator of St. Mark. xxx of Capodistria confirmed with a Resolution on Oct. 27, 1822 and reconfirmed with DM on Nov. 10, 1927.** Coat of arms - blue with 3 dead man's bones, one above the other, put in a bundle, above which a crown, all in gold.

Nicolo Baseggio - doctor, engineer, xxx, born Aug. 18, 1856, died Dec. 21, 1937. Son of Giorgio and Lucrezia Campattini. Married Antoinette Galaveglia, who died August 26, 1955.
Children: Giorgio, born 1896, died June 18, 1917 xxx xxxxx
Cristina, died Nov. 4, 1966
Cesarina, died in 1945 in the mountains

II. Cristoforo, born 1869, died Jan. 19, 1959. Married Olga Chalmette, who died in 1945. From whom:
a) Renata
b) Roberto
Married Argentina Tressi

III. Cesare, xxx xxx xxx xxxxx. 1870 - 1928. Married Sofia xxx of the xxx of Montestrutto, who died in 1941.

IV. Giulio, doctor, professor xxx, born 1871, died 1928. Married Ederge Lamberi of Paratico, who died (blank), from whom: (blank, but their children were Anna, Bruno and Cesare).

* Grado is a city between Venice and Trieste.

** Mario de Baseggio says that in his great uncle Sauro's house there is a copy of the coat of arms with the following written underneath "de Baseggio, family which has the same origins of the descendants of venetian patricians. With S.R.A. 27 Oct. 1822, Nicolo Mattio de Giorgio had the nobility confirmed, which was recognized with D.P. 10 Nov. 1927 to Giulio, doctor of business science, and Knight of the Crown of Italy, born in Milan the 20th of Nov. 1871, of Giorgio, of Nicolo and of Lucrezia Capettini."

Venice was ruled by the noble families. There were four types of noble families - "case vecchie" (old houses), "case nuove" (new houses), "case nuovissime" (very new houses), and "case fatte per soldi" (houses made because of money). The "case vecchie" were the families that were considered noble families before the 9th century, and were probably descended from maritime tribes. There were 27 of these "case vecchie" and one of them was the Baseggio family. SOURCE: "Venetian Palaces", by Alvise Zorzi and Paolo Marton, published by Rizzoli in 1990.

Pietro Baseggio was the earliest recorded architect of the Doge's Palace. Although there were others before him, their names were not recorded. SOURCE: Same as above. Sergio Baseggio says that Pietro actually was only responsible for the reconstruction of the two newest windows (after a fire) which face St. Marks Basin.

In Venice there is a Rio (small canal) S. Baseggio, a Campo de S. Basegio, a Fondamenta S. Basegio, a Ponte S. Basegio, and a Salizada S. Basegio.

Nicolo de Baseggio was mayor of Capodistria in 1797 when Venice ceded it to Austria. SOURCE: "Capodistria" by Baccio Ziliotto.

Cristoforo Baseggio was one of the founders of the Facist party. In 1921 he fought a duel with Mussolini and wounded Mussolini in his little finger. SOURCE: "Benito, Il Mio Uomo", by Rachele Mussolini.

Cristoforo Baseggio was also the founder of Italy's first group of commandos, during WWI. He wrote a book about it, titled "La Compagnia della Morte".